Plummet
/ˈplʌmɪt/
verbnounB2
Definition
As a verb, plummet means to drop or fall very fast, usually downwards from a height. As a noun, it refers to the act or instance of falling quickly. People often use it to describe things like prices, temperatures, or people falling from a high place.
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See It in Action
To fall quickly straight down (verb)
- •The rock plummeted from the cliff into the sea.
- •The bird plummeted toward the ground after being startled.
- •Temperatures plummeted during the cold night.
A sudden and large decrease (noun)
- •There was a plummet in the company's stock prices yesterday.
- •The plummet of sales surprised all the managers.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'plummet' like 'fall,' but much faster and more sudden—like dropping straight down without stopping
- ✓Picture a stone thrown off a tall cliff falling quickly into the water below in a straight line
- ✓It feels like the sudden shock or surprise when something goes down very fast, like your heart dropping in fear or excitement
- ✓Sounds like 'PLUM-it' → imagine a heavy plum fruit dropping fast from a tree, hitting the ground quickly
- ✓In stories, plummeting is like when a character falls off a mountain or when stock prices suddenly drop in the news
- ✓NOT like 'drop' (which can be slow or small), plummet means a very fast and big fall
- ✓NOT like 'slide' (which is slow and along a surface), plummet is straight down with speed
- ✓NOT like 'decline' (which can be slow and steady), plummet is sudden and sharp
Try Other Words
- •Drop: to go down, often less fast or less direct (Use when the fall is slower or less serious)
- •Decline: to decrease gradually (Use for slow changes, like numbers or quality)
- •Sink: to go down slowly, often in water (Use when something goes down below a surface)
- •Tumble: to fall suddenly and often in a way that includes rolling or turning (Use when the fall is not straight down but more uncontrolled)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: No clear prefix or suffix; 'plummet' comes as a whole word
- •Etymology: From Old French 'plommet' meaning a small lead weight, from Latin 'plumbum' meaning lead
- •Historical development: Originally meant a lead weight used to measure depth by dropping it into water; later used to describe fast downward movement like the weight falling
- •Modern usage: Used to describe anything falling quickly downwards or dropping sharply in value or amount
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when something in your life seemed to plummet suddenly? How did you feel?
•Why do you think people use the word plummet instead of just fall or drop in some situations?
Fill in the blanks
1.The airplane suddenly plummeted ___ the storm, causing panic among passengers.
2.When the temperature plummeted ___ freezing, people hurried to wear warmer clothes.
3.The company's profits plummeted after the new competitor entered the market, showing a ___ change.
4.Unlike a slow decline, plummet means the value dropped ___ and without warning.
5.After the accident, the stock price plummeted ___ investors lost confidence quickly.
6.The climber lost his grip and began to plummet ___ the steep mountain face.
7.When sales plummet, businesses often try to ___ the problem quickly to avoid losses.